Wrap stripe stop motion



March 25, 1952 Filed Feb. 12, 1951 2 SHEETS-SHEET l I N VENTOR:

DONALD 6 [own/v.

BY EJMM ATTORNEYS.

D. (5.. LONGTIN WRAP STRIPE STOP MOTION March 25, 1952 2 SHEETS--SHEET 2 Filed Feb. 12, 1951 INVENTOR BY 5 M ATTORNEYS.

Patented Mar. 25, 1952 UN I TE D STATES FA TE NT OFFICE WRAP STRIPE STOP -MOTION Donald G. Longtin, High Point, N. "0., assignor to Guilford Hosiery Mills, Incorporated, High Foint, N. 0., a corporation of North Carolina Application February 12, 1951, Serial No. 210,454 Claims. (01. sis-164 This invention relates to circular knitting machines and more especially to an improved stop motion adapted to be associated with a wrap Stripe attachment on a circular knitting machine of a type such as is manufactured by Scott 8: Williams and known as a Scott 8: Williams HH or PW machine.

In circular knitting machines of the type de scribed, there is provided a rotating wrap head having a plurality of wrap fingers thereon which are adapted to move adjacent the needle cylinder at predetermined intervals to wrap a wrap yarn around certain needles for producing wrap designs in knitted articles such as hosiery. This rotating head moves in timed relation to the needle cylinder and has a plurality of circularly spaced bobbin pins thereon, each of which supports a yarn tube having wrap yarn thereon. The wrap yarn is drawn from the yarn tubes upwardly to conventiona1 tension apparatus and is then directed to the conventional wrap fingers. This tension apparatus usually has associated therewith a mechanism for actuating a conventional stop motion to, in turn, stop the knitting machine in the event any of the strands of wrap yarn are parted in their path from the yarn tube to the corresponding wrap finger or upon all of the yarn being withdrawn from any one of the tubes, as the tension apparatus would be relaxed to thereby operate this stop motion.

It has been found that with this type of stop motion, the wrap yarn frequently is withdrawn from the conventional tension apparatus with the result that the wrap yarn would have to be rethreaded through the tension apparatus upon replacing the empty bobbin tube with a filled tube of yarn.

In order to insure that the machine will be stopped as soon as the wrap yarn is exhausted from the yarn bobbins and so that the wrap yarn will not be withdrawn through the conventional tension means before the machine has been stopped, it is an object of this invention to provide means for immediately stopping the machine upon the yarn being exhausted from the bobbin tubes. 7

More specifically, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved stop motion for the wrap head of a knitting machine comprising piv-' oted yarn clamping means pivotally mounted-0n an auxiliary ring, fixedly mounted on the table of the wrap head, immediately beneath the bobbin pins which support the tubes of yarn and to which the tail of the yarn is clampingly con- V nected. This pivoted clamping means has spring means associated therewith which automatically places the clamping means in a knock-off position, upon the last few turns of yarn on the corresponding yarn tube being withdrawn there from, to engage a suitable mechanism for actuating the stop motion of the knitting machine.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the desc'ription proceeds when taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of the upper part of the wrap stripe section of a circular knitting machine with portions omitted and showing the improved Wrap yarn controlled stop motion associated therewith;

Figure '2 is a sectional plan view taken substantially along the line 22 in Figure 1 and showing the improved stop motion actuating means associat'ed with each of the tubes of yarn;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the lower right-hand portion of Figure 2 and showing one of the clamping means in operating or knockoff position;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line ll in Figure 3 and showing the manner in which the yarn tubes are held in position on the bobbin pins, the yarn being omitted from the tube for purposes of clarity.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the numeral l0 designates a horizontally disposed bracket having a downwardly extending leg H thereon which extends downwardly and supports the bracket [0 from the top of the body of the knitting machine. Rotatably mounted on this bracket I0 is a gear cover assembly l3 having on the lower end thereof a plurality of radially movable wrap yarn fingers I4 which are adapted to be moved by conventional mechanisms, not shown, but fully shown in Patents No. 1,853,020 and No. 1,906,204.

These radially movable wrap fingers M are provided for the well known purpose of depositing the wrap yarn across the needle cylinder to wrap the same around certain needles indicated at 15. The gear cover assembly I3 is mounted for rotation and is driven by suitable conventional gearing mounted beneath a gear cover or lower table Sand is adapted to be engaged by a driving gear, not shown, which is fixedly mounted in a conventional manner on the top of a vertical drive shaft 20 rotatably mounted in a drive shaft assembly bracket 2|. The gear cover assembly It has an upper table 22 rovided with a plurality of brackets 23 suitably securedaround the periphery thereof, only two of which are shown in Figure 1.

Each of the brackets 23 has pivotally mounted therein a yarn tension take-up lever 24 having a hook in its free end over which wrap yarn W is adapted to be passed. The outer end of each of the take-up levers 24 has a hook portion thereon adapted to be hooked into an upwardly projecting member 25 secured to a yarn tension disk 26 slidably mounted on a post 21. The yarn tension disk '26 is normally urged downwardly by a compression spring surrounding the post 21, the tension in the corresponding spring being adjusted by a suitable thumb nut 30.

A fixed tension disk 3| is suitably secured to each of the brackets 23 and against which the movable tension disk 26 is urged by the compression spring. and the associated parts heretofore described may be of the type substantially as shown in the U. S. Patent No. 2,430,633 of November 11, 1947, and also include a member 32 pivoted in each of the brackets 23 and having an outwardly and.v upwardly projecting portion 33 thereon This outwardly and upwardly projecting portion 33 of the member 32 is adapted to engage a conventional stop motion, not shown, in the event that the wrap yarn W should become broken be tween the wrap fingers l4 and the yarn tension devices 26 and 3|.

The parts heretofore described are the usual parts of a knitting machine of the type described having a wrap stripe mechanism associated The yarn tension levers 24 one end of which normally rests against the inner surface of the knock-ofi arm 5| in Figure 3.

The other end of the spring member 55 is fixedly secured, as by a screw 56, to the upper surface of the split ring 40. It is thus seen that as the wrap yarn on the yarn tube 46 is exhausted, the tail end, which is disposed beneath the yarn clamping member 41 and is clamped between the same and the knock-off arm 5|, will be pulled free of the clamping member 41 and this will permit the spring member 55 to move the knock-off arm 5| in a clockwise direction in Figure 3 to where the projection 53 on the knock-oif arm 5| will rest against the next adjacent yarn tube 46. Thus, the knock-off arm 5| will then be disposed in operating position as shown in the right hand-portion of Figure 2 5 and the lower central portion of Figure 3.

As the lower table [6 continues to rotate in a counterclockwise direction in Figures 2 and 3 and, if one of the knock-off arms 5| has been moved to its outermost position, it is evident that the knock-off arms 5| move with the lower table I6 and the arm which is swung outwardly will engage a cam surface 66, which is a part of a downwardly extending stop lever 6|. This stop lever 6| is fixedly secured, by any suitable means such as welding, to the top of a conventional vertical drive stop lever 62.

end thereof leads to and actuates the conventherewith and it is with these parts that the. 2

gear cover assembly l3 without having to disassemble the upper table and its associated parts in order to install the ring 40. By referring to Figure 4, it will be noted that the split ring 40 is fixedly secured to the lower table It by a plurality of bobbin pins 42, the reduced lower ends 1 of which penetrate the split ring 40 and the lower table [6 and are fixedly secured therein by a tapered nut 43. The shoulder on each of the bobbin pins 42, formed by the lower reduced portion, bears against the bottom of a recess 45 -i n the split ring 40, to thereby hold the split ring."

40 in a fixed position on the lower table It. a

The upper ends of these bobbin pins 42 have inverted substantially U-shaped spring members 44 fixedly mounted thereon, which are for the purpose of holding the yarn tubes or bobbins 46 thereon. As these bobbins 46 with wrap yarn W wound therearound are placed on the bobbin pins 42, the tail of the wrap yarn W is forced beneath a leaf spring clamping member 47 which is fixedly mounted, as by a screw 48, on "an irregularly-shaped knock-off arm 5| (Figure 3).

The innerend of the knock-off arm 5| is pivotally secured, as by a shoulder screw 52, to

the upper surface of the split ring 40. The knock'-. off arm 5| has a projection 53 thereon which. is adapted to, at times, engage the next adjacent.

bobbin or yarn tube 46 to thereby limit its arc of movement in a clockwise direction. The

knock-off arm 5| is normally urged in a Q1 9[!k wise direction by a torsion spring member'55,

tional knock-off mechanism, not shown, but which is clearly shown in United States Patent No. 2,430,633 of November 11, 1947.

It is thus seen that, as the knock-off lever 5| which has been moved to extend outwardly and radially of the lower table |6 by means of the spring member 55, comes into contact with the cam surface 60 on the stop lever 6|, the stop lever, along with its associated vertical drive stop lever 62, will be moved in a clockwise direction in Figure 1 thereby moving the lower end in a counter-clockwise direction about a pivot point 63 to actuate the conventional knock-off mechanism of the knitting machine and to immediately stop the knitting machine upon the yarn being exhausted from any one or more of the yarn tubes 46.

It is evident that, upon the knitting machine being stopped in the manner heretofore described, the bobbin or tube of yarn 46 may be replaced and the tail portion of the wrap yarn W may again be inserted between the yarn clamping member 41 and the knock-off arm 5|. As the tail of yarn is inserted beneath the clamping member 4'1, the knock-01f arm must be moved to its innermost position so that, as the lower table I6 rotates in a counter-clockwise direction in Figure 2, the knock-01f arm will not engage the cam surface 66 thus permitting the machine to continue operating until the yarn is exhausted from another yarn tube 46.

It is evident that the crews 52 and 56, which are employed in mounting the knock-off arm 5| and the spring member 55, respectively, on the split ring 40 may be threadably embedded in the lower table l6 and, in which event, the split ring 40 could be omitted. However, the split ring 48 is particularly provided so the improved stop motion mechanism may be manufactured as a unit and so as to obviate the necessity of drilling special holes in the lower table l6 to accommodate this improved stop motion mechanism.

Also, the recesses 45rin1the split ring '40 could be eliminated in the event that the reduced lower ends of the bobbin pins '42 are of sufficient length to extend through the .split :ring 411 and I the lower table It. However, it would then be necessary to provide special bobbin pins whereas the recesses 45 permit bobbin pins having the usual length reduced lower end portions thereon to be employed in association with the improved stop motion mechanism. Although, the torsion spring member 55 is shown in the form of a wire formed in a substantially U- shape, it is to be understood that a suitable leaf spring member maybe employed in lieu of the spring member 55 as shown in the drawings.

Also, if so desired, the spring member '55 could be omitted and a suitable tension or compression spring could be connected to the knockoff arms in such a manner as to urge each of the same in a clockwise direction in Figures 2 and 3; Also, if so desired, a suitable torsion spring may encircle the shoulder screw 52 and have one end thereof connected to the shoulder screw and the other end connected to the knock-01f lever 5| to serve in the capacity of the spring member 55 shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4, all of which are obvious mechanical expedients equivalent to the wire torsion spring member 55.

It is thus seen that I have provided an improved means for effecting immediate operation of the conventional stop motion of a. knitting machine upon the wrap yarn W from any one of the yarn tubes it being exhausted. This immediate stopping of the knitting machine upon the wrap yarn being exhausted from the yarn tubes 46 saves considerable time in replacing the empty yarn tubes since the wrap yarn does not have to be rethreaded through the tension devices 26 and 3i and the tension arm 24. This also insures that all of the yarn is used from each of the yarn tubes 46 before the knitting machine is stopped. The present improved stop motion is also relatively simple in construction and thus may be economically manufactured and requires a minimum of modification of the existing parts in this type of knitting machine.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. In a knitting machine having a revolving wrap stripe mechanism disposed thereabove and which includes a rotatable table supported by the revolving wrap stripe mechanism and having a plurality of circularly spaced bobbin pins projecting upwardly therefrom on which tubes of wrap yarn are adapted to be mounted, said knitting machine also having movable means disposed adjacent the rotatable table for stopping the machine, improved means for effecting movement of said movable means for stopping the machine comprising a pivoted knock-off lever mounted for movement about a vertical axis adjacent each of the bobbin pins, spring means normally urging the knock-ofi lever to a position extending radially of the rotatable table and clamping means on the knock-off lever to which a tail of yarn from the tube mounted on the adjacent bobbin pin may be clampingly secured whereby the free end of said knock-off lever may be moved inwardly of the outer edgeiof the rotatable table, manually, as the tail of yarn is clampinglyconnected thereto and, upon exhaustion of the yarn on said tube, the tail of yarn will be withdrawn from said clamping means to thus re- 6 lease the knock-off lever and to permit the same to move outwardly to subsequently engage the movable means for stopping the knitting machine.'

r 2. In a knitting machine having a revolving wrap stripe mechanism disposed thereabove and which includes a rotatable table supported by the 'ifevolving wrap stripe mechanism and having a plurality of circularly spaced bobbin pins projecting upwardly therefrom on which tubes of wrap yarn are adapted to be mounted, said knitting machine also having movablemeans disposed adjacent the rotatable table for stopping the ma-. thine, improved means for effecting movement of said movable means for stopping the machine comprising a pivoted knock-01f lever mounted for movement about a vertical axis adjacent each of the bobbin pins, spring means normally urging the knock-off lever to a position extending radiallyv of the rotatable table and resilient clamping means on the knock-off lever to which a tail of yarn from the tube mounted on the adjacent bobbin pin may be clampingly secured whereby "the free end of said knock-oft lever may be moved inwardly of the outer edge of the rotatable table, manually, as the tail of yarn is clampingly con- "'nected thereto and, upon exhaustion of the yarn 'J'onsaid tube, the tail of yarn will be withdraw-11 [from said clamping means to thus release the knock-0d lever and to permit the same to move 35 outwardly to subsequently engage the movable {means for stopping the knitting machine.

3. In a circular knitting machine having a revolving wrap stripe mechanism disposed thereabove and which includes a rotatable table supported by a revolving wrap stripe mechanism having a plurality of circularly spaced pins thereon on each of which a bobbin of wrap yarn is adapted to be mounted, said knitting machine also having movable means disposed adjacent the rotatable table for stopping the knitting machine, improved means for effecting movement of said movable means for stopping the machine upon exhaustion of the wrap yarn on any one of said bobbins comprising a ring removably 50 secured to the upper surface of said table and I through which the bobbin pins project, a knockofi? lever pivotally mounted on the ring adjacent I each of the bobbin pins, spring means normally urging the knock-off lever in a direction away from the corresponding bobbin pin, means on the knock-ofi lever for engaging the bobbin pin disposed adjacent the bobbin pin away from r which the knock-off lever is urged and to restrict movement of the knock-off lever in said direction, said last-named means being so positioned as to cause the free end of said knock-01f lever to project beyond the periphery of the rotatable table, means for clampingly securing the tail of yarn from a bobbin on an adjacent pin to the knock-oil lever whereby said knockoff lever may be moved inwardly manually as the tail of yarn is clampingly secured thereto and, upon exhaustion of the yarn on said bobbin, the tail of yarn will be pulled away from said clamping means and said spring means will cause the knock-off lever to project beyond the periphery of the rotatable table and to subsequently engage and impart movement to said movable means for stopping the machine.

4. In a circular knitting machine having a 7 revolving wrap stripe mechanism disposed thereabove and which includes a rotatable table supported by the revolving wrap stripe mechanism having a plurality of circularly spaced pins thereon on each of which a bobbin of wrap yarn is adapted to be mounted, said knitting machine also having movable means disposed adjacent the rotatable table for stopping the knitting machine, improved means for effecting movement of said movable means for stopping the machine upon exhaustion of the wrap yarn on any one of said bobbins comprising: a ring removably secured to the upper surface of said table and being disposed adjacent the circularly spaced bobbin pin, a knock-01f lever pivotally mounted on the ring adjacent each of the bobbin pins, spring means normally urging the knock-ofi lever in a direction away from the corresponding bob bin pin, 'means on the knock-off lever for engaging the bobbin pin disposed adjacent the bobbin pin away from which the knock-off lever is urged and to restrict movement of the knock-01f lever in said direction, said last-named means being so positioned as to cause the free end of said knock-off lever to project beyond the periphery of the rotatable table, means for clampingly securing the tail of yarn from a bobbin on an adjacent pin to the knock-off lever whereby said knock-off lever may be moved inwardly manually as the tail of yarn is clampingly secured thereto and, upon exhaustion of the yarn on said bobbin, the tail of yarn will be pulled away from said clamping means and said'spring means will cause the knock-off lever to project beyond the periphery of the rotatable table and to subsequently engage and impart movement to said movable means for stopping the machine.

5. In a circular knittingmachine having a revolving wrap stripe mechanism disposed thereon and including a horizontally disposed rotatable table supported by the revolving wrap stripe mechanism and said machine having a movable stop motion actuating mechanism located adjacent the revolving wrap stripe mechanism and also having aplurality of circularly spaced upstanding pins mounted on the table on which bobbins having yarn wound thereon are adapted to be mounted, improved means for effecting movement of the stop motion actuating mechanism comprising a split ring fixedly mounted on said table by the plurality of upstanding pins, a horizontally movable yarn clamping means disposed adjacent each of said pins and to which the tail of yarn from the corresponding bobbin is adapted to be secured, spring means for normally urging the horizontally movable yarn clamping means to a radial position relative to the table and means on the stop motion actuating mechanism engageable by said horizontally movable yarn clamping means upon the yarn clamping means being moved to a radial position relative to the table whereby said yarn clamping means may be moved manually to inoperative position and a tail of yarn secured thereto and, upon exhaustion of the yarn from the corresponding bobbin, the tail of yarn will be pulled free of said yarn clamping means whereby said spring means will cause the yarn clamping means to move to a radial position relative to the table to stop the machine;

DONALD G. LONG'I'IN.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Cox June 7, 1949 Number 

